With my daddy by James Brown

Ill. by Cally Johnson-Isaacs. Macmillan Children's Books, 2017. ISBN 9781509834426
(Ages: 2 - 6) Recommended. Picture Book. Each page of this delightfully illustrated picture book features different zoo animals from tigers to rabbits, bears to turtles, lions, mice, crocodiles, penguins and pandas developing and enjoying unique relationships with their dads. Rather than living in a zoo though, each animal is transported to the human family scenario, undertaking the daily activities little reader might enjoy participating in with his/her Daddy. Whilst Daddy turtle playing frisbee with little turtle does stretch the suspension of disbelief a bit for the adult reader, the young one seems to have no trouble; such is the flexibility of the very young mind. All readers should be gratified to see the different dads pitching in with a wide variety of routines of both traditional and non-traditional roles; great stuff for role modelling both to the young reader and also to the reading dads and mums. Doggy daddy for instance, has no qualms with regard to the wielding of brooms, vacuum cleaners and pink feather dusters I'm pleased to say. My granddaughter Maple has an especially close relationship with her dad and loves to cook with him. She found this well rhyming tale particularly engaging. A companion title to this one is With my mummy also by James Brown and Cally Johnson-Isaacs.
Elizabeth Avery